WWE NXT
Webcast } The Bright House Network |theme = "You Make The Rain Fall" by Kevin Rudolf |episodecount = 121 (as of June 13, 2012) |original run = February 23, 2010 – Present }} WWE NXT is a professional wrestling television program produced by World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) which debuted on February 23, 2010. Described as a hybrid between reality television and WWE's scripted live event shows, the premise of the show follows select talent contracted to WWE's developmental territory Florida Championship Wrestling (FCW) in a competition to become WWE's next breakout star with the help of mentors from WWE's Raw and SmackDown brands. The show originally made its debut on Syfy in February 2010. Less than a month after its premiere, it was announced that WWE SmackDown would move from MyNetworkTV to Syfy in October. NXT aired its final episode on Syfy on September 28 to make way for SmackDown, and began airing as a webcast at WWE.com for visitors from the United States on October 5. Outside of the United States, the show is still televised. Format (2010-2011) WWE NXT pairs up wrestlers from WWE's developmental territory Florida Championship Wrestling (dubbed "Rookies") with wrestlers from WWE's existing Raw and SmackDown brands (dubbed "Pros"). Each episode features the Rookies being mentored by the Pros as they develop their characters and performance skills in front of a live audience. The pairings also enable the show to crossover into WWE's Raw and SmackDown programs. As the length of each season differs, features of the competition occur at different times accordingly. Revised format (2012) In May 2012, the show's format was revamped. The show began using more talent from FCW, as well as underused talent from the main roster. The first four episodes under the new format were taped at Full Sail University on May 17. WWE has stated that NXT Redemption will continue to air until a new television deal for NXT can be made. WWE.com revealed on Wednesday, June 13 that the new version of NXT will be made available online via WWE.com and YouTube beginning on Wednesday, June 20 when WWE will begin airing the episodes they taped at Full Sail University on May 17. Season List *Season 1 *Season 2 *Season 3 *Season 4 *Season 5 *Season 6 On-air personalities Authority Figures (*) On August 24, Maryse underwent surgery for an abdominal hernia and was on medical leave from WWE, therefore Maryse's role as co-host ended. She would later be released from WWE on October 28, 2011 and would not return to NXT. As of November 2011, there is no official co-host. Commentators (*) – Friday Night SmackDown play-by-play commentator and former NXT color commentator, Josh Mathews, was substituting for an absent Todd Grisham. This repeated on the November 16, 2011 edition of NXT, but this time, he was substituting for an absent Jack Korpela, who would later be released from his WWE contract. (**) – Matt Striker became the alternate color commentator on NXT beginning May 3, 2011 due to Regal's increased in-ring schedule (Regal would continue as commentator when he wasn't wrestling). This ended on the May 17, 2011 edition of NXT when Regal would return to the announce table as normal. (***) – Michael Cole served as special guest color commentator on NXT for the May 31, 2011 broadcast substituting for an absent William Regal. Cole would also substitute for Regal again on commentary on the September 13, 2011 broadcast due to Regal and Striker competing in a match that night. (****) – Matt Striker and Josh Mathews were guest commentators on NXT for the November 9, 2011 broadcast substituting for the absent William Regal and Jack Korpela. Striker and Mathews returned to commentary the following 2 weeks because Jack Korpela's contract with the WWE had expired and he opted not to renew. (*****) – Matt Striker and William Regal commentated the November 23, 2011 edition of NXT, due to Mathews being absent. (******) - Josh Matthews was unavailable to call the April 24, 2012 edition of NXT Redemption after Brock Lesnar attacked him in a backstage segment on Raw Ring announcers (*) If Chimel was absent from the NXT/Smackdown tapings, he would have been substituted as ring announcer by RAW's Justin Roberts or WWE Superstars' Eden Stiles, who would also serve as Smackdown's ring announcer for that week's episode. Effective December 8, 2011, Chimel has been replaced by Lilian Garcia on SmackDown and Eden Stiles has picked up Chimel's NXT announcing duties until December 13, 2011. On December 21, prior to NXT to be uploaded on WWE.com, Stiles would announce that she asked for her release from WWE a day after her final Superstars and NXT appearances have been recorded. See also *NXT Brand Roster External links * NXT Official Website Category:Extreme Championship Wrestling Category:World Wrestling Entertainment